Born in 1946 in Malaysia, self-taught painter and sculptor Thang Kiang How’s talent and community service is variously recognised, including: Singapore’s Public Service Medal (1981), Dr Tan Tsze Chor Award (1982), and Special Award, UOB Painting of the Year competition (1985, 1986 and 1987). Exhibiting nationally and internationally, Thang was also President of the Modern Art Society Singapore (1981-93).Thang’s large ‘Galaxies’ series was exhibited in its entirety (together with his ‘Flowers in the Mist’ series) at Singapore’s National Museum Art Gallery in 1989. “I paint at night, at times throughout the night. Everything is still, quiet. I am immersed in night light. The galaxy is a phenomenon that allows me to crystallise distinct and concrete pictorial images.” For this series Thang employed an industrial air compressor, an additional tool in the creation of his galaxies, creating energetic but controlled non-figurative compositions from the spontaneous manipulation of air and pigment.
